Ordination present

[Michael Astley]

Dear all,

I wonder whether anybody may be able to suggest a good book to give to somebody preparing for his first step into minor orders.

I am looking for something that would be spiritually useful in the new dimension of his growth, or that would be directly relevant to his role, such as liturgical books or guides, books of advice and direction from those who have taken this path before, and perhaps the writings of one or more of the fathers on the subject.

Ideas about any of the above will do very nicely. Thank you in advance for all of your suggestions.

Pax,
Michael

[M.C. Steenberg]

Dear Michael,

I would heartily recommend The Orthodox Pastor - A Guide to Pastoral Theology by Archbishop John Shahovskoy. This text has just been re-published this year by SVS Press. (I recently posted an excerpt here (http://www.monachos.net/forum/showthread.php?t=5345).)

As a sense of its character, the table of contents indicates these chapters:


The One Pastorship
Evil Pastorship
Good Pastorship
Vocation
Ordination
Education
Pastoral Spirituality
Purity
Preparation for Church Services
Ministry in the Church
Servers and Singers
Ministry in the Home
Ministry in Society
Family
School
Confession
Apologetics
Preaching
The Prayer of St Basil the Great
Eucharist
Material Problems
Relations with the Parish
Missionary Work
The Spirit of Parish Management
A Life of Prayer
Death
Welfare and Poverty
Philosophy of Ownership
The Second Birth

While the book was originally written for those becoming priests, it is invaluable to all those in any order (and indeed, to all the faithful) for its sense of developing a pastoral mindset and approach to life in the service of the Church. I highly recommend it - it is something from which I personally have benefited a great deal.

If the person for whom you're considering a gift is being tonsured a reader, a copy of the Apostle as ordered for Church readings is always helpful: it gives the epistle readings in the pericopes used for services throughout the year. Whether or not it is the translation/edition used in the parish (which the Reader will thus use in Church), having such a resource at home is a helpful way to immerse oneself in the readings one will proclaim, as they are ordered by the Church's lectionary.

If the person is being ordained a subdeacon, the 'Abridged Typikon' might be helpful - but only if the person is keen on learning the detailed ins-and-outs of the various services (otherwise, it can be somewhat overwhelming).

In either (and any) case, Hapgood's Service Book is a wonderful resource, if the person doesn't already have it. It remains one of the wonders of liturgical volumes in English that with this single volume -- despite certain deficiencies -- one can be familiar with and 'ready' for nearly all usual services in the Church.

INXC, Dcn Matthew

[Michael Astley]

Thankyouthankyouthankyou!

This is precisely the sort of thing for which I was looking. The Orthodox Pastor sounds splendid and has now been ordered. Your listing the contents was very useful.

Pax,
Michael